Somewhere Between Challenging & Plain Sailing: National Curriculum Changes

The British National Curriculum has, once again been amended – this time because our children are incapable of learning and retaining enough. So one minute GCSE exams are being derived for being too straightforward and now our younger pupils are apparently not absorbing what they are taught.

One newly imposed strategy is less emphasis on Maths and English, because according to comments from the Labour and Conservative parties earlier this year, humanities and creative subjects were somewhat overlooked– yet the 12 times table will also become an essential component of the curriculum from September 2014.

Despite this, Professor David Abulafia from the University of Cambridge said, “I admire the flexibility, breadth and inclusiveness of the new curriculum.”

Technological Transformations

There has also been a proposal for ICT lessons to be renamed Computer Science. The switch aims to embrace the changes in technology and progress young minds of the future into constructing “amazing things with technology”, according to Andrew Eland, Google’s Engineering Director. The objective of this new class style is to inspire young people into becoming “digitally literate” (Bill Mitchell, Director, British Computer Society) as it is widely expected that technological developments will be the driving force behind occupations of the future.

Computer Science classes will allow pupils to generate, develop and display their design ideas through annotated computer sketches. Sir James Dyson believes they will “give…a practical understanding of science and mathematics, where they design, make and test their own product ideas.”

Each Child is Critical

However, it is near impossible to satisfy every British child’s learning style, as well as their knowledge needs and the hopes of their loved ones. Despite how essential computer literacy may be for the professional careers of children, not every student is technologically savvy. Each child has differing learning methods, picks up techniques and concepts at different rates and has different abilities and capabilities to the next. Tessa Hares, a 23-year-old Teaching Assistant based in Swindon said, “Every child should get equal opportunities and there should be lots of choices and creative outlets available.”

She also stated that the school where she has worked for the past year appreciates the various competency levels of each pupil. The school even offers several options for homework for pupils up to the age of 11. Not only does this allow pupils to make selections for themselves and opt to either challenge themselves or go for the leisurely option, but also values the various learning styles our children have. Each child is different and that needs to be recognised.

Music, the Arts & Creativity

There is a strong stigma attached to the Arts and Sport and has been for generations. Many perceive subjects such as Music and Art as unrewarding and laid-back options. Particularly when it comes to GCSE and A-Level selections, pupils who take creative based classes are often regarded as idle young people. However, subject such as these enhance essential life skills such as imagination and communication and help build “social and cultural values” (TheSchoolRun.com).

The School Run also states that Music in particular, can aid memory, thanks to the likes of Nursery Rhymes and action songs- which are also fantastic for children’s early development and moral acquisition. Music also improves listening skills, self-confidence, team-working abilities, preparation and organisational skills, general creativity and a strong ability to concentrate. Even if a child opts to study more academic based subjects further, creative options boost necessary proficiencies needed for study.

Copy Cat Curriculum

Our current Education Secretary Michael Gove has implemented changes such as five-year-olds learning fractions. Gove told ITV’s Daybreak that the changes “cannot come quickly enough” due to other countries “doing better than our own” academically. Although he stressed how much he hoped the changes would improve the education of his own children and all British children, it seems the variations in the Curriculum have been applied to due Gove’s competitive spirit.

It appears he has taken note of the academic abilities of other countries and employed many of their strategies into our own, including longer school hours as seen in France and an increase in foreign language lessons thanks to the likes of Spain. Gove also stressed the cut-throat nature of the job market that is liable to continue as such in the future. He acknowledged the idea that children may have to match rivals from across the globe to launch or further their career.

Michael Gove

Traditional Teaching

Many of Michael Gove’s changes seem to derive from highlighting the importance of traditional academic subjects, specifically Maths, Science and English. With regards to the latter, he aims to press pupils to study a pre-20th century novel by the time they leave Primary School This is due to recent government research portraying that past students have shunned classic authors such as Dickens, Shakespeare and Austen because of a lack of interest and reliability.

He also wants History to be taught in a chronological, worldly manner, seemingly to assist children to pin-point the period each significant event and person. Instead of focusing on important eras such as Victorians, Tudors, Egyptians and Aztecs, key figures will be studied in detail, such as Queen Victoria, Adolf Hitler and Winston Churchill. According to the Department of Education, the revised curriculum concentrates solely on “getting the basics right.”

The National Curriculum needs to adhere to the educational needs of as many British children as possible. Of course it is unfeasible to expect to satisfy all parents and pupils, but Mr Gove has failed to explain any testing changes occurring in September 2014.

Although the Education Secretary has stressed the magnitude of traditionally academic studies as well as future-fitting changes, he has not addressed how students are to be examined. Each child learns at a different rate, utilises different approaches and has conflicting talents and interests, assessment criteria and strategies must be formulated to flatter as many minds as possible. It’s all well and good clarifying what our kids may be taught, but the way they gain a sense of achievement and progress in their educational lives is through examination, whether it be trough formal assessments or coursework.

Amy Winehouse Exhibition: Should Her Music Be Admired Despite Her Addictions?

As one of the music industry’s best loved superstars, it’s almost inevitable that an intimate exhibition of Amy Winehouse opened on 3rd July 2013 at the Jewish Museum. It will run until 15th September and has been co-curated with Amy’s brother Alex and showcases the family life of the singer right in her hometown of Camden, North London. Aptly named ‘Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait’, the exhibition plays host to unprecedented items from her life, from family photographs to clothing and will display her passion for London, fashion and Sudoku.

Angel or Addict?

Yet the real question is whether Amy Winehouse’s singing skills should be celebrated above her drink and drug-infested lifestyle. No matter who you are, whether you’re a billionaire pop-sensation or a skint supermarket worker, the demons of drink and drugs affect more people than you might think. According to the NHS, over 27% per cent of men drink over the recommended alcoholic units each day (3-4 for men and 2-3 for women). Unfortunately 14% of the British female population also consume more liquor than their recommended maximum of 3 (2 small glasses of wine).

Drugs, Drink & Duty

If alcohol was discovered now, it would be labelled a Class A drug. But it has become a social instrument and many perceive it as a harmless part of daily life, with 40 million of us Brits considering ourselves ‘social drinkers.’ A whopping 200,000Britons are alcohol dependant, although it’s unknown how accurate these figures actually are due to the stigma attached to addiction and the shame it produces.

Yet ‘Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait’ aims to detach the singer from the hype and headlines surrounding her success and convey Amy as an average young woman with a sensational voice. It also seemingly detaches her from the fact that she died at just 27 (coincidentally the same age as Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix and Rolling Stone Brian Jones) due to a drink and drug overdose on 23rd July 2011. Speaking to the LA Times, her brother Alex said, “Amy was someone who was incredibly proud of her Jewish London roots…I hope, in this most fitting of places ,that the world gets to see this other side, not just to Amy, but to our typical Jewish family.”

Medicated Music

Winehouse’s addictions were a part of her true self and should not be rejoiced in any way whatsoever, but should also not be ignored for the sake of a fake, squeaky-clean image. Because Amy was far from that. Arguably, her rise to fame was partly thanks to her addiction struggles. Much of modern music is so appealing because the composer or artist were enjoying a sense of drug-induced bliss. From members of the Rolling Stones to Suede, The Who, Sex Pistols, Def Leppard, Slipknot and Take That, countless music industry favourites have struggled with addiction for years. So much so that it became an essential component of their life and music.

Cobaine

Take Grunge legend and Nirvana vocalist Kurt Cobain, who died in April 1994. He was found with a suicide note, a shotgun across his body and visual head-injuries, but was also checked into a Drug Rehabilitation facility previously and reported as severely suicidal by his wife Courtney Love. Perhaps, like Amy Winehouse, his demons and various dangerous dependencies were both his greatest strength and greatest weakness.

Although his anxieties took his life, they also helped Cobain create innovative, music, which was likely to be enhanced by his drug taking. The same can be said for Amy Winehouse, whose quirky musical style and fashion flair were heightened by her unsteady posture, warbling tones and heart-rending lyrics. So the question is, would her music have been as successful if her addictions never existed?

Addiction & Anxiety

Winehouse was found with 416mg of alcohol per decilitre in her blood, which was enough to make her fragile frame shut down. She was found dead by paramedics in her Camden flat with her laptop still on and several bottles of vodka on the floor. Her GP Dr Christina Romete, who described the singer as “single-minded and intelligent”, said Winehouse had “been battling her alcohol addiction but had repeatedly refused psychiatric help because she thought it would affect her creativity and had repeatedly lapsed into drinking binges following dry periods.”

Mitch Winehouse, Amy’s father set up the Amy Winehouse Foundation on 14th September 2011 (which would have been Amy’s 28th birthday) to prevent the effects of drugs and alcohol on young people. The non-profit organisation also aims “support, inform and inspire vulnerable and disadvantaged young people to help them reach their full potential.”

Funnily enough, the ‘Back to Black’ singer had put her drug and drink habits behind her and enjoyed a holiday in St. Lucia just prior to her passing. She also endured anxiety and mental health issues and Dr. Romete said in an official statement that she was not concerned about a risk of suicide for her patient. She (Amy) specifically said she “did not want to die.”. Amy’s day-to-day dilemmas and eventual death have been seemingly whitewashed to paint her in an unrealistic, angelic light that never existed when she was alive. The fact is alcohol is a sole component of between 20 and 30% of accidents in the UK and her death could be utilised to stress the threats drink and drugs impose.

Play the Fame Game

According to The Guardian, the most popular illegal substance consumed in England and Wales in 2011/2012 was powdered Cocaine and over 12million people have tried an illegal drug. And drug consumption is still on the rise. In 2008, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,738 people died drugs-related deaths, 374 of which were women. Accidental overdose was the principal cause of death, account for 763 of the cases. It’s simply a shame that Winehouse’s lifestyle choices are not utilised as more of an example to prevent addiction occurring in the first place or encouraging those struggling with habits to gain professional help.

Happier Times: Winehouse and her father Mitch

Celebrity status should be used for good. Just as Jade Goody’s 2009 death by cervical cancer has boosted campaigns for smear tests to be provided for women younger than 25. Her death also highlighted the necessity for the tests and consequentially increased the amount of women undergoing them by 12% in 2009.

However tragic Amy Winehouse’s death is, her true self should be illustrated in ‘Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait’ to make her legacy as influential as possible. She was an immensely talented vocalist and songwriter who possessed a rare ability to tell a tragic story in a relatable way through her lyrics. She should be admired for her effect on the music industry and unique style. But her alcohol and drug dependencies should not be disregarded. She was an astounding musical talent who has inspired young musicians the world over, but her drug lifestyle should also inspire those experiencing it to seek support.

The best way to make sure Amy did not pass away in vain is to highlight the threat of addiction in our society and make sure young people have the facts they need to make the right choices. Both Amy’s musical talent and addiction demons should be underlined to paint an honest picture of a young, beautiful and talented Jewish girl.

Buzzing Brighton

Why Brighton is the South Coast’s best day and night out.

Brighton is famous for being the UK’s gay capital and offers a fantastic night out for tourists and students alike. It also offers a wide range of attractions for the daylight hours, from shopping to swimming to eating and drinking.

The Royal Pavilion

The Royal Pavilion is the city’s most well-known hotspot as it used to be the royal residence and is a really unusual looking building with wonderful old-fashioned Indian architecture that was popular around the 19^th century. You can have a look around the building from approximately £7 but it really is worth the money as there as some stunning sights to see. However, if you are watching the pennies, you can walk around the incredible gardens absolutely free. It’s also the perfect spot for a summertime picnic.

The Town Centre & Laines

Shopping is big business in Brighton, even on a student budget. It’s got all your conventional favourites in the town centre, from Urban Outfitters to Topshop, New Look and fast food offerings like KFC, Burger King and McDonald’s. The Laines showcase more thrift and vintage stores as well as fine jewellers, independent cafes, antique stores and stunning restaurants. It really is a retail paradise!

Brighton Pier & Beach

Although the beach is pebbled, it is enjoyed by thousands every year, particularly during the warmer British months. It’s a great place for families, student gatherings and couples during the day and into the evening. There is also a wide range of shops, cafes and restaurants at the back of the beach, selling cheaper and costly refreshments as well as some lovely handmade jewellery, clothing, accessories and souvenirs. The pier is one of the country’s most popular and it’s not hard to see why- there’s reasonable fairground rides towards the end of the pier, seaside food favourites and tourist-perfect souvenirs. Whether you’re after some rock, fresh doughnuts, candy floss, fudge, postcards, ice-cream, fish and chips or a good old English pint, the beach and pier is the place to be.

Brighton Marina

Situated about 15 minutes away from the town centre by bus, there are several shops and a wide range of restaurants here as well as a cinema. If you’re into less conventional cinema head down to the Duke of York cinema which shows a combination of foreign and older films. The restaurants at the Marina tend to be slightly pricey, their quality is outstanding, but it’s not somewhere you’ll want to visit regularly on a student budget.

Bars & Clubbing

No matter if you’re into clubbing or just enjoy a cosy night in a pub or bar with your friends, Brighton has something for you. There’s a huge range of pubs along Lewes road, from good old-fashioned style pubs with wooden décor to brightly coloured student bars. If you’re into sports, Franklin Tavern is the ultimate sports bar that also sells a huge range of food and drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. If you’ve got a good few spare pennies lying around and are looking for something a little more expensive, Santa Fe and Pitcher & Piano may be the bar for you as it’s quite upmarket without being pretentious and both bars serve a huge range of cocktails. For those on a traditional student budget, Prodigal and Font & Firkin sell cheap drinks which are perfect to get you going before a big Brighton night out. The Royal Pavilion Tavern in the centre of town sells the cheapest drinks in town and showcases a fantastic alternative scene.

Often referred to as the South East’s clubbing capital, Brighton has an overwhelming choice of clubs, from R&B clubs on the see front, comedy clubs such as Komedia and the Royal Theatre, the Honey club which plays a mix of Dance and R&B. Around the Marina, there are a number of Drum & Bass style clubs but the most unusual club in the area has to be Funky Fish, which is right by the seafront and plays a blend of Jazz, Soul and Dance music.

Eating Out

Al Duomo is an atmospheric, fairly cheap Italian restaurant serving top-notch versions of all our Italian favourites and even creates stone baked pizzas right in front of your eyes! Kensington’s is situated in the heart of North Laine the ultimate student café- with its food as cheap as chips and a huge range of comfort food, like fry ups, pies, salads, Mexican and a massive vegetarian range. Donatello’s and Fat Leo’s are located right next to each other and have similar menus offering very cheap Italian meals, drinks and amazing ice-cream. If you like Indian food, Bombay Mix must be your first stop. It sells homemade, cheap curries and you can get an all-you-can-eat meat curry buffet for about £9 and vegetarian for under £6. Gars is a quaint Chinese restaurant with a high-quality menu that offers dinner for about £15.

There’re countless sights to see and things to experience in Brighton whatever your taste and budget. Whether you’re a day-tripper, just wanting to chill out with your friends or wanting a great night out, Brighton caters for you!

This Summer’s Biggest Blu-Ray/DVD & Cinema Releases

The summer months always been big money for the film industry- the kids have time off school, the big kids have time off work and with the unreliable British weather, indoor activities can never been underestimated.

DVD/Blu Ray

One of this year’s biggest blockbusters was ‘Oz: The Great and Powerful’, which gained $233,671,832 in Canada and the USA alone. It was released on 11^th June and tells the story of the land of Oz 20 years before the arrival of Dorothy and the story of the Wizard of Oz we all know and love.

June 18^th sees the release of ‘Movie 43’- a black comedy composed of 14 differing storylines, and with an all-star cast boasting the l ikes of Seth MacFarlane, Gerard Butler, Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry and Emma Stone, what’s not to like? It was shot over several years and directed by over 10 directors, so its style is extremely diverse and unique.

‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ will also be on sale on DVD and Blu-Ray on 18^th June. It’s an adventure and fantasy film telling the classic coming-of-age tale young farmhand Jack and his quest of rescuing a beautiful princess from the top of a mystical beanstalk and the creatures that live upon it. This movie stars ‘Skins’ and ‘About a Boy’ actor Nicolas Hoult and Ewan McGregor.

If you love supernatural horror flicks, then look no further than ‘The Last Exorcism: Part II’ which will be availiable from 18^th June on DVD and Blu-Ray. If the movie’s poster isn’t creepy enough, the movie itself is set in the format of found footage of possessed Nell Sweetzer as her personality begins to change and become darker and darker. The film is full of all the murder, blood, gore and demons you could ever hope for.  

‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone’ is a comedy starring Steve Carrell and will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on 25^th June. It follows the life and times of Vegas magician Burt Wonderstone as he attempts to find his former partner to take on an infamous street magician.

July 9^th sees ‘The Host’ finally come to be available to purchase. The film stars the acting talents of Max Irons and Frances Fisher and is based on ‘Twilight’ author Stephanie Meyer’s novel of the same name. Although it was criticised in the press, the flick did make $47,955,000 at the box office. It tells the supernatural tale of the human race being taken over by extra-terrestrial physic parasites and the characters’ struggles to overcome their grasp.

Starring Disney heavyweights Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez, as well as James Franco, ‘Spring Breakers’ is about four college girls on their spring break. It made over $25.5 million dollars at the box office despite its $5 million budget, but this is no coming-of-age movie. The film begins with the friends robbing a fast food joint to obtain funds for their trip and the foursome encounter drinking, drugs, guns, parties, gangsters and death.

American-Action Thriller ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray from 13^th August and showcases all the signature fears of the United States- terrorism and the deterioration of government and the general order of society. It stars Morgan Freeman and Gerard Butler and earned over $148 million dollars at the cinema worldwide.

Cinema Releases

The long-awaited ‘Monsters Inc.’ prequel ‘Monsters University’ will be released across the UK on 12^th July. Although  the smaller details of the plot have yet to be confirmed, Pixar has divulged that Sulley and Mike got up to all sorts of mischief during their university days and weren’t always the best of friends.

On 26^th June, Hugh Jackman’s handsome face will return to UK screens with ‘The Wolverine’. Although the flick is not a follow up to ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’, it is set in modern-day Japan where the protagonist meets a long-standing old enemy that could change the course of his future.

Ryan Reynolds stars in blockbuster ‘R.I.P.D’ based on the comic books by Peter M Lenkov. It will be in UK cinemas on 28^th June and also stars Kevin Bacon and Jeff Bridges, as well as the directing talents of Robert Schwentke. The story follows a recently-slaughtered cop as he attempts to track down his murderer with the help of the Rest In Peace Department.

For the first time since ‘Minority Report’, Steven Spielberg is welcomed back with open arms into the Sci-Fi world for ‘Robopocalypse’, which will be release on 3^rd July. Based on the Daniel H Wilson novel about a robot-reliant w orld that becomes threatened when one of the robots becomes self-aware, it is not yet clear how faithful Drew Goddard will be to the original text with this scriptwriting.

 ‘Despicable Me 2’ (28^th June) is sure to be an all-new comedy adventure starring all your favourites from the original film. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s already rumours of a third movie. Boasting the voice talents of Miranda Cosgrove and Steve Carrell, it’s sure to be an animated battle to the death this summer between ‘Monsters University’ and this flick.

Got a thing for sequels? Look no further than side-splitting ‘Grown Ups 2’ starring Adam Sandler. Set for UK release on 9^th August, the film sees Lenny (Sandler) carting himself back to his hometown to be with his friend s and family, he finds himself encountering bullies, drunken cops and crazy bus drivers!

July 31^st will see ‘The Smurfs 2’ hit British cinemas, and it’s a sure-fire success story in the making, what with the original film making well over $500m at the box office worldwide. After Smurfette is kidnapped by the evil Gargamel, the little blue people set out to rescue her with the help of their full-size human friends.

Whatever genre of film you’re into, there’s something hitting British silver screens and DVD players this summer that’s perfect for you. There’s so much variety to enjoy in the film industry currently, so embrace it!

From Beginning to End- My Time in Bournemouth

University can be an intimidating, daunting step to take in a young person’s life to say the least. Once you’ve narrowed down your university choice, accommodation selection and packed your bags, there’s nothing left to do but travel to your home for the next three or four years and grab the experience with both hands.

The best advice I can provide for any new student is to get involved- with everything! No matter whether you’re mildly interested in a club or society or positively nuts about it, each new place you go and new activity you embrace gives you a chance to meet new people and grow, independently as a person.

Moving away from home, getting used to lectures, the uni itself and a new town can be overwhelming- it certainly was for me. But funnily enough, I was so busy during the fresher’s period that I barely gave a second thought to the academic side of my new life. There were so many events in the evenings and during the day that the first few weeks were so hectic, I barely had time to unpack!

Club events included club nights and promotions at the SU club The Old Fire Station; everything from a School Disco theme, to a Pirate theme and a beach party completed with an ice cream van parked in the club’s car park. Although these events were enjoyable, they were not always ideal to really get to know people and start to make friends.  However, events during the hours with sunlight provide an opportunity to learn something new and get to know people properly.

One experience that still stands out for me was joining the dance society, because by collaborating cerographical ideas and rehearsing, members were able to relax around one another and become acquainted. Competitions and performances also added some acceleration into the experience. On fresher’s week itself, there were also tours around the local area lead by volunteers in their second, third and fourth years of study, cooking tutorials and health and safety style lectures.

Over my time at university, the main thing I have picked up, as a person, is to be more selective about the friends and acquaintances I make. I’m sure you can imagine how overly eager and enthused everyone is to meet you during fresher’s week, but as time goes on, you get to know people better and better, and may discover you simply do not gel as people.

Although I am luckily enough to have an incredible set of friends based back home in London, which I have retained for my time in Bournemouth, and hope to for years to come, the friends I did make at uni made my experience unique and maturing. Housemates who were more capable at cooking than myself passed some of their skills and expertise onto me, and those who were better at managing money took charge of the bills.

However, although my three years in Bournemouth have (hopefully) delivered me a BA in English, I have also really matured and grown as a person. I can now manage my own finances better than ever before I know how to budget and, more importantly how to restrain myself when shopping! I am also safe in the knowledge that I can take care of myself overall- from cooking, to cleaning to managing my time.

University is the best and sometimes most difficult time in a young person’s life. Because you’re not just getting to know hundreds of new people and a new hometown, but you’re also getting to know yourself as you develop and progress as an academic and a personality.

Eco-Fashion Week 2013

Cruelty-free clothes are in- it’s official. The very first Russian Eco-Fashion Week was held in Moscow from 17th-22nd May 2013 after first reaching Russian shores way back in 2004 following a similar event in Paris. Edinburgh College of Art leader Marina Kokorina was so inspired by the event in France that she decided to hold a show in Russia. Julia Polonskaya, the sustainable Finance Program Coordinator with WWF Russia, believes Russia may be one of the most promising markets for the development of green clothing brands: “Foreign markets are starting to take an interest in Russian designers.”

Exploring Eco-Fashion

The event was held at Moscow State University’s Botanical Apothecary Garden and blended fashion with green-tea sampling and animal-cruelty free cuisine tasting. There were also practical skills master-classes, ranging from beading and plaiting to sewing and visitors were invited to take a look around the eco-friendly market on their travels.

 According to the Rosecomoda website, the goal of the event is to “create a platform in Russia where the young and accomplished Russian designers can form the concept of eco-clothing…” The various catwalk shows were held on weekday evenings and in the afternoons and early evenings of the weekend. Fifteen designers presented their work and the emphasis far more focused on the quality of the designs rather than the designers themselves.

Before the show took place, its organiser and spokesperson Tatyana Kargina said, “We are seeking to ensure that we always have new designers and collections.” She added, “As of now, we only work with Russian designers, but we are planning to start inviting foreign designers in the future, so we can learn from them. After all, Europe is 5–10 years ahead of us in this area.” During the event, designers are split into five categories; those made from environmentally-friendly materials, ethical clothing; substitutes for designs that harm animals or plants (e.g. fur) and clothing adhering to specific environmental requirements and standards.

Keeping Planet & Public Happy

Brand and designer stars of the mainstream catwalks such as Stella McCartney and Gucci have highlighted the importance of environmentally-friendly fashion given the lack of sustainable resources our planet has available and Eco-Fashion Week highlights this dilemma. It is hoped the event will become an annual occurrence and keep eco-friendly threads in the public eye. In fact, the event organisers hope the event will create a Russian community of eco-friendly designers creating trends that keep both the public and the planet into account. They also hope the show will influence the importance of environmental issues as well as popularize and promote eco-friendly clothing brands.

Stella McCartney

Eco-friendly labels are often stigmatised with an association with huge price tags but the fact is, the deterioration of the Earth cannot be avoided. In a similar way to fair-trade clothing, eco-friendly fashion can help maintain and enhance our environment, so it is worth paying the extra pennies if necessary. These types of clothing tend to be created from sustainable and quality materials and are therefore more likely to last a lot longer than the average high street piece.

  

Wearable & Durable

Those at the forefront of sustainable fashion include the likes of Vika Gazinskaya, Liudmila Norsoyan and Oleg Biryukov who are paving the way for more mainstream names to follow. Gazinskaya and Biryukov promote cruelty-free, durable designs including faux fur coats. They also emphasise the significance of organic and original materials both in fashion and in everyday life. Norsoyan, however is a biochemist and utilises the Earth’s vast array of natural resources; primarily from coal, copper and steal. Despite the fact that this is a small scale production currently, the difference it could make in the long run is astonishing. It has also already caught the eye of a number of up-and-coming designers and brands such as LowFat.

Although the fashion market suffers from a lack of awareness about its harm on the environment and what can be done to help the situation. Events such as Eco-Fashion Week illustrate the obstacles tarnishing the industry from becoming fair-trade and eco-friendly and display the fashion-friendly minds be.

Safe Haven (PG) - Momentum Pictures (07/05/2013)

‘Safe Haven’ was released in cinemas across the UK on 3^rd March and was released on 7^th May 2013 on DVD and Blu-Ray across the nation. It’s a Romance/Thriller or RomDram film based on the 2010 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks and truly is a blend of its two primary genres from the off. Although the £28 million, film was widely criticised by critics, particularly in the States, it made over $95 million at the box office.

Filmed in North Carolina and Louisiana, ‘Safe Haven’ was directed by Swedish RomDram master Lasse Hallström, who was also responsible for hits such as ‘Dear John’ (2010) and ‘Chocolat’ (2000). He also directed over 30 of ABBA’s music videos in the 1970s and 80s along with ‘ABBA: The Movie’ (1977).  The film follows protagonist Katie as she flees her home hunted by Police, reaches a small, idyllic town- Southport, North Carolina and meets a hunky widower Alex Wheatley, (Josh Duhamel). He’s a convenience store owner with two young children and, predictably the two begin a slow-burning love fair.

In true keeping with a mystery, the slush-infested movie begins with the hastened escape of Katie played by actress/country singer/ballroom dancer Julianne Hough his opening scene also makes it clear how creative the film is, mainly due to the dark, gloomy shades of the frames. The cuts between scenes make the emotion and content of each one stand out from the next, assisted by the variety of editing speeds, styles and sumptuous settings. Each note of tense soundtrack and bleeping siren builds up the tension and keeps the audience questioning the film’s plot.

The abundance of greenery and seagull-overhaul of the coastal village Katie settles in is the perfect partner to panned-out shots of scenery and thought-provoking moments. However predictable the element of romance is, its almost comforting how inevitable it seems, with retains Oscar front-runner Hallström key component of destiny. Its simplistic structure fails to create the spark necessary for a romance flick; in fact it jumps seemingly randomly from the two leads and the Police’s work throughout.

In terms of acting performances, the best, most profound offering come from cute-as-a-button Mimi Kirkland and Noah Lomax who play Josh’s children Lexi and Josh, along with ‘How I Met Your Mother’s’ Cobi Smulders as Jo. As the opening of ‘Safe Haven’ drags like a heavy suitcase, it’s clear Hallström is not familiar with playing out the tension in his work, because he offers the audience pointless nuggets of information and mis-directions. His use of flashback is so pointless its almost patronising; basically verifying Katie’s past, which the audience are already aware of. It’s also astounding how much she can afford in terms of clothing, housing and general living expenses given she escaped her old home and violent husband with nothing but a plastic bag of clothing. Not to mention how unperturbed she seems by the situation with her husband. Its portrayal of romance is limp and unoriginal, with the most stirring moment being when the two leads’ hands creep ever closer together.

"Fluffy romance"

Fundamentally, this piece of cinematic confection drags in wait of some unavoidable twist that, of course, occurs towards its conclusion. It’s the sickly sweet settings and blossoming relationships combined with twinkly guitar driven soundtracks that drive ‘Safe Haven’ and illustrates the effect moving to Hollywood has had on Hallström’s visions. The 115 minute flick is perfect example of why films centred around the development of human relationships and the tensions and conflicts within them need to include impeccably entwined storylines. ‘Safe Haven’ fails to do this and instead, latches onto scattered flashbacks and mediocre scriptwriting.

Many sickly sweet scenes make you resent the couple’s relationship whether you’re in one yourself or not- the depiction of PDA, however is impeccable. Some scenes also mirror Nick Cassavetes’‘The Notebook’ (2004), including en enchanting canoe ride and the couple even kissing among the rushing backdrop of the debauched ocean. Even the theatrical poster of ‘Safe Haven’ rips of ‘The Notebook’, down to the female protagonist’s selection of t-shirt shade. It’s only the revelation of a supernatural element that not only differs from ‘The Notebook’, but also tarnishes the realism of the film.

Reckless alcoholic Tierney shatters the perfection of his wife’s new life and the illustration of a one-sided, severely violent relationship is mesmerising, especially in terms of realism. The violent based sections of the film are warmly welcomed due to the dull headway of it and really picks up its pace and the pieces left behind by poorly-acted and written lovey-dovey scenes. However, this ending does read somewhat like a poorly built-up episode of ‘Desperate Housewives’, without the well-developed, well-liked characters and settings.

The blend of fluffy romance and theatrical tension in this film and proves you can’t always predict how worthy of your time a DVD purchase will be, despite a renowned director, author or all-star cast. As it shifts between fairy-tale, supernatural thriller and mystery, ‘Safe Haven’ is a lacklustre embraces a shameless twist and fails to gain any substantial momentum.

3/5